Printing-block.



No. 732,467. PATENTED JUNE 30. 1903. J. H. SWAIN.

- PRINTING BLOCK.

APPL IGATION FILED APR. 26. 1902.

' I0 ll0DEL.

UNITED I STATES Patented June 30, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

PRINTING-BLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,467, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed April 26, 1902. Serial No. 104,785. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. SWAIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing- Blocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in printing-blocks, and has for its object to produce a serviceable, quick, and economical printing-block of various designs, especially adapted for colorprinting.

The invention has for its further object to provide a printing-block in which one sheet of material furnishes all parts required for the different colors, and to this end materially simplify and cheapen the construction.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and wherein like numerals of reference will be employed for designating like parts throughout the several views of the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the sheet of material, preferably vulcanized fiber, on which the design is made. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the sheet of material with the design printed thereon. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a mounting-base of any suitable material with the design transferred thereon in reverse. Fig. 4 is an endview of the sheet, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end view of the mounting-base, as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the sheet of fiber after the design has been cut therefrom, and Fig. 7 represents a detail plan view of the design as cut from Fig. 6 and reversed ready for mounting on Fig. 3. 4

To carry out my invention, I provide a sheet of material 1, preferably composed of vulcanized fiber, though other material possessing the characteristics of hardness to withstand pressure and heat even to the smallest particle and at the same time being easily cut as by a scroll or other saw may be employed. In practice,however, I have found vulcanized fiber to possess the desired characteristics which I have not found in the use of various other materials. In connection I with this I provide a mounting-base consisting of a block 2, of wood or other suitable material, carrying a sheet of soft paper 3 orlike material. In practicing my invention I first prepare the mounting-base by pasting the soft paper or other like material 3 upon the base 2 and give the-same sufficient time to dry. I thentake the key-form, which may be panels of rules or borders or an etched design from the artist to be colored, and take an inked impression from the key-form or etched design upon the fiber-sheet 1, preferably accomplished by means of a press, and while the ink-is yet wet I lay the printed surface of the sheet 1 upon the paper-covered surface ofthe mounting-base, to which I apply an even pressure, which causes the wet ink to offset upon the paper in reverse. I next take the fiber sheet and with a very fine scroll-saw cut out the design. The saw used is always so fine as to makeit possible to follow every line in separating one color from another without any perceptible waste. When all parts are thus separated, I select those parts to be in one color and paste or cement them in their respective positions, as indicated by the outline which has been made upon the mounting-base, thereby forming a block from which maybe printed those parts of the design that are to be of one color, or it may be molded for a stereotype or electrotype plate. The next color is treated in the same manner, and so on, so that fromone sheet of fiber as many colors are produced as may be desired. In Fig. 2 the inked design 4 appears on the fiber sheet, and in Fig. 3 this design appears on the soft paper in reverse, while in Fig. 6 this fiber sheet is shown with the design cut out, this design 5 cut outof Fig. 6

.being shown in detail in Fig. 7.

As many colors as maybe desired can be printed from the one sheetoffiber, as it will be observed that the' sheet when out out as shown in Fig. 6 may be reversedand cemented upon Fig. 3 in such a manner as to secure a perfect register by allowing the cutout spaces 6 to fall accurately upon the baseoutline 4, when this part of the fiber may be printed in one color or a plate madeof same where it is to be preserved. Then the portion 5, Fig. 7, may be cemented on one side and placed through the part from which it was out, (6, Fig. 6,) thereby adhering to the mounting-base. When dry, the fiber sheet 1, Fig. 6, may be pried ofi the mounting-base, leaving part 5 in proper position, which may now be printed in another color or a plate made from same. By replacing 1, Fig. 6, upon the mounting-base without removing part 5 from said base and placing 7, Fig. 7, in its respective position on the mounting-base, as was done with part 5, and when set or dry remove both 1 and part 5, leaving part 7 to be printed in a still different color. The many ad vantages of this method over those now generally employed will be at once apparentas, for instance, the method of zinc etching invariably requires a sheet of zinc for each color, While with my method one sheet of fiber furnishes all parts for all colors. The process of sawing and mounting also snpplants the work of painting in, etching, and routing required to produce the zinc plates; and, further, while it takes ordinarily from six to eight hours time for each color produced by the etching process it requires not to exceed from three to five hours to produce three colors of an ordinary newspaper-page by my method.

For newspaper-work I preferably employ a mountingbase made of aluminium, as it is less aifected by heat and does not cause poor register by expansion and contraction.

Where I may desire to produce a tint of the color in hand at a particular spot, I cover same with a fine-wire gauze (not shown) and mold over it.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein-described process of producing printing-blocks for printing multicolors, which consists in transferring an inked design upon vulcanized fiber, transferring the design in reverse upon a mounting-base, cutting out the design from the fiber, and aifixing the cut-out fiber design on the impression on the mounting-base, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described process of producing printing-blocks for printing multicolors, which consists in transferring a design upon suitable heat-resisting material, then transferring the design in reverse upon a pliablefaced mounting-base, then cutting out the design from the heat-resisting material, and finally affixing the cut-out design on the impression thereof on the mounting-base, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. SWAIN.

Witnesses:

JOHN NOLAND, E. E. POTTER. 

